COCCINELLID^ — LADY-BIRDS. 19 



then lets it creep about her hand, and says : " She measures 

 me for wedding gloves." And when it spreads its Httle 

 wings and flies away, she is particular to notice the direc- 

 tion it takes, for theiQce her sweetheart shall one day come.^ 

 The latter part of this notion obtains in England ; and it 

 has been embodied by Gay in one of his Pastorals, as fol- 

 lows : 



This Lady-fly I take from off tlie grass, 

 "Whose spotted back might scarlet red surpass. 

 Fly, Lady-bird, north, south, or east or west, 

 Fly where the man is found that I love best. 

 He leaves my hand, see to the west he's flown, 

 To call my true-love from the faithless town. 2 



In Norfolk, too, where this insect is called the Bishop 

 Barnabee, the young girls have the following rhyme, which 

 they continue to recite to it placed upon the palm of the 

 hand, till it takes wing and flies away :^ 



Bishop, Bishop Barnabee, 

 Tell me when my wedding be : 

 If it be to-morrow day, 

 Take your wings and fly away ! 

 Fly to the east, fly to the west, 

 Fly to him that I love best.* 



Why the Lady-bird is called Bishop Barnabee, or Burn- 

 abee, there is great difference of opinion. Some take it to 

 be from St. Barnabas, whose festival falls in the month of 

 June, when this insect first appears ; and others deem it 

 but a corruption of the Bishop-that-burneth, in allusion to 

 its fiery color.^ 



The following metrical jargon is repeated by the children 

 in Scotland to this insect under the name of Lady Lanners, 

 or Landers :^ 



Lady, Lady Lanners, 



Lady, Lady Lanners, 



Tak' up your clowk about your head, 



An' flee awa' to Flanners (Flanders). 



1 Thorpe's North. MythoL, ii. 104. 



2 4th Pastoral, 11. 83-8. 



3 It probably is induced to fly away by the warmth of the hand. 

 * Notes and Queries, i. 132. 



5 Ibid., i. 28, 55, 73. 



6 Jamieson supposes this word to be derived from the Teutonic 

 Land-heer, a petty prince. — Scot. Diet. 



